Method of operating battery management systems, corresponding device and vehicle

A control device for a battery management system comprising:

• a processor circuit;
• and
• signal routing circuitry between a plurality of charge-sensing pins, a plurality of charge distribution pins, a plurality of balance pins, and the processor circuit, the plurality of charge-sensing pins being arranged in a in an ordered sequence of odd- and even-numbered pairs of charge-sensing pins;
• the control device being configured to:
• perform a first test on an even-numbered cell of a plurality of cells of a battery pack, the battery pack comprising the plurality of cells, the even-numbered cell comprising a cathode terminal coupled to a even-numbered charge-sensing pin from a plurality of charge-sensing pins through an even-numbered coupling resistor from a plurality of coupling resistors and an anode terminal coupled to an odd-numbered charge-sensing pin from the plurality of charge-sensing pins through an odd-numbered coupling resistor of the plurality of coupling resistors, the cathode terminal being further coupled to an even-numbered charge distribution pin from a plurality of charge distribution pins through a first discharge resistor, the anode terminal being further coupled to a common balance pin, wherein the battery management system is configured to perform the first test by:
• activating an even-numbered current generator to draw a first current through the even-numbered charge-sensing pin;
• calculating a first voltage difference corresponding to the drawn first current and the even-numbered coupling resistor;
• and
• determining a first fault in the battery pack based on the first voltage difference.

An electrically powered vehicle comprising:

• a battery pack comprising a plurality of electrical battery cells;
• a battery management system coupled to the battery pack;
• and
• a control device configured to:
• perform a first test on an even-numbered cell of a plurality of cells of the battery pack, the battery pack comprising the plurality of cells, the even-numbered cell comprising a cathode terminal coupled to a even-numbered charge-sensing pin from a plurality of charge-sensing pins through an even-numbered coupling resistor from a plurality of coupling resistors and an anode terminal coupled to an odd-numbered charge-sensing pin from the plurality of charge-sensing pins through an odd-numbered coupling resistor of the plurality of coupling resistors, the cathode terminal being further coupled to an even-numbered charge distribution pin from a plurality of charge distribution pins through a first discharge resistor, the anode terminal being further coupled to a common balance pin, wherein the battery management system is configured to perform the first test by:
• activating an even-numbered current generator to draw a first current through the even-numbered charge-sensing pin;
• calculating a first voltage difference corresponding to the drawn first current and the even-numbered coupling resistor;
• and
• determining a first fault in the battery pack based on the first voltage difference.